J. Cole apologizes for autistic slip in rap lyrics

3 years ago

J. Cole says he doesn't like being pressured into apologizing by the media but feels his recent statement of sorry is necessary. The hip-hop star caught flak after rapping the words "autistic" and "retarded" as a diss to other rappers in his collaboration with Drake, titled "Jodeci Freestyle."

In a blog post this weekend, Cole said although there's a part of him that "resents" the pressure put on rappers to apologize, his is sincere. He went on to praise "the entire Autism community" for its passion, adding that he has been touched by stories online from parents about their struggles.

Cole also said, "It also makes what I said even more embarrassing for me. I feel real shame." He said he would gladly own his mistake and "serve as an example to today's generation that there's nothing cool about mean-spirited comments about someone with Autism."